One Day
by Croutonic Sarcasm
Summary: Is that all you're going to do? Speak to me? What a waste of time." Sasori turned to ignore Deidara. Deidara's face fell. Sasori was right, he was always right. Deidara was just useless... T for cruelty. Yaoi. Oneshot


Chapter One

"Get out!" Deidara was shoved out of Sasori's room, the puppeteer actually pushing the blond away from his presence. "Don't come back to me until you can _think_!" He exclaimed (yes, exclaimed), the door slamming shut behind the ragged looking Deidara. Deidara was shaking, his face scratched up and little cuts everywhere. After a moment, he brought the loosely-thrown Akatsuki cloak over himself in a protective embrace. He sniffled, sapphire eyes looking melancholy, a single tear running down his face. His hair was at all sorts of weird angles, every way but the right way, and his clothes looked like they had been thrown on at the last minute, the pants nearly falling off and his shirt lopsided. Whether he shook from tears or fear was unknown, but Hidan, walking by, noticed and stopped.

Hidan may not be friends with the blond in a normal way, being S-ranked criminals and all, but he did consider the easy-going blond a close friend. The silver-haired shinobi's brow furrowed in worry, gazing Deidara up and down. Once he realized where Deidara stood (outside Sasori's door and looking like he wanted back inside), Hidan understood Deidara's shaking. Sasori had just finished with a bout of anger; as Sasori was quick to anger, this was a fairly commonplace occurrence. What wasn't so commonplace, however, were the numerous cuts all over Deidara. Deidara had often walked away from Sasori's anger with hurts, but honestly, they were generally worse.

When Deidara bore the brunt of Sasori's anger, he got the whole rage. Sasori would regularly cuff or cause harm upon Deidara for 'screwing up a mission' by setting a bomb off too soon or some other small mistake. Deidara would return from the mission with a broken arm or a strained ankle or even worse, but never to the point of incapacitation. Recently, though, Sasori's anger had seemed to be getting worse, almost like he was getting drunk and beating on Deidara with his puppets. Although, Hidan noted, seeing Deidara's pitiful condition, it was entirely possible that Sasori would use his puppets.

Hidan had confronted Deidara on it, as had Kisame. Kisame considered himself Deidara's friend as well, united by the unique qualities that made them strong now where once they had been mocked and ridiculed. Kisame and Hidan had pointed out that the timing of these wounds always coincided with Sasori getting angry with Deidara, but the blond always shrugged it off as accidentally being too close to Sasori's puppets during a fight, or even accidentally blowing up a bomb too close to himself. He claimed that his 'Danna' would never hurt him like that and loved Deidara. Sasori backed up this story, saying that it was Deidara's fault and that the blond had simply hurt himself in a fight or some such stupid thing. Needless to say, neither Kisame nor Hidan believed him, but they couldn't exactly do anything about it until Deidara admitted it.

Now, though, Hidan was worried. Deidara's eyes were getting dull, almost like he was sick, and he was shaking more violently, holding onto his chest in a tight grip. "Deidara?" The Jashinist walked forward, not wearing his cloak or his scythe since he was comfortable at the Akatsuki base. Deidara didn't even look up, eyes dilating to an insane size, the pupil covering all the blue of his visible eye. Hidan's own lavender hues widened in worry and he grasped Deidara's shoulders, giving him a gentle shake to try and bring him to earth. "Deidara? Deidara!" He said, giving a harder shake, but Deidara didn't even seem to notice. Rather, as Hidan leaned closer to see better, he noted that Deidara was muttering under his breath nonstop.

"No, Danna, I'm sorry, I make a mistake, un, please no, Danna, oh Danna, please, please..." Deidara shook, tears pouring from his eye-- no, eyes. As Hidan shook Deidara, the blond locks moved and exposed the eye that was normally covered with his telescope eyepiece. Hidan glanced to the fist holding the cloak on Deidara's shoulders and true enough, the eyepiece was there with a crack in the lens. Hidan frowned. What had Sasori done to Deidara?

"No, Danna, I'm sorry, yeah! I'm sorry!" Deidara dropped to his knees, hand dropping the eyepiece and the cloak, hands scrabbling at his chest like he was having a heart attack. "I'm sorry, un! Make it stop!" He begged, head facing the floor and his long hair covering his expression, although the sobbing and begging made it perfectly clear. A moment later, Deidara's breath hitched and he made a strangled noise, clutching at his throat desperately.

"KISAME!" Hidan screamed out. He dropped down to be even with the blond, whose eyes were entirely dilated, looking terrified. He didn't see Hidan, Hidan was sure of it. As Hidan waited for the Shark-man to appear, hoping he'd appear and not be on a mission, Deidara screamed bloody murder, throwing his head back and his voice going so loud, it cracked and stopped. Once the terrible, keening cry was halted however, his eyes closed over and he fell over, passed out. "KISAME!!!!" Hidan screamed as loudly as he could. "KAKUZU!" He cried out desperately for the Taki nin, having always thought of him as a medic shinobi, as Kisame came around the corner of the hall, eyes wide in worry.

* * *

Deidara lay in the bed silently and still, almost as if he were a corpse. He wasn't dead, but his pulse was weak and his breathing ragged and wheezing. He would stir occasionally in his sleep, muttering about being sorry and other things, mostly involving Sasori. Once, he had screamed again and tried getting up, but at Hidan's touch and voice, he had calmed into a restless sleep once more. Hidan was there as much as was possible for his blond friend, but he did have to go on missions still, so other members would take care of him, but never Sasori. The majority of opinions in Akatsuki were against him, even Zetsu had taken a stance against the puppeteer. Mostly, it was Kisame and Hidan taking care of their friend, talking about it in low voices as they switched watches.

"Think he poisoned him?" Hidan asked when Kisame came into the room, not turning as he heard the heavy footfalls of the blue shinobi. Kisame paused at the edge of the bed. Hidan and Kisame had never been friends, even Akatsuki friends, before this, but now, they were united for a common cause. "I think the asshole did." Hidan added as he ran a cool cloth across Deidara's hot forehead, not looking up from the red-faced blond. "I think the motherfucker tried to kill him this time."

Kisame didn't have to ask who 'he' was, it was fairly obvious. He was silent for a moment, then his rumbling voice filled the room. "I don't think he means to kill him...but yes." He admitted after a second, then sat down on the nearby chair that Hidan had used until he switched spots to sit on the bed. "But Hidan-san...What can we do?" He asked, looking over to the sick, fever-ridden blond on the bed.

Hidan shook his head slowly. "I don't fucking know...Right now, I'm just praying to Jashin. I know that Jashin wants people to die and all," Hidan said quickly, "But..." He hesitated. "This would be a fucking pathetic way to die. I don't think that Jashin would want Deidara to kick the bucket like this." He sighed, standing up and looking Kisame square in the eyes. "Keep him safe."

Kisame smirked, knowing Hidan's next words. _Keep that motherfucking puppet away from Deidara or I'll murder you. Don't let the dipshit in._ Sure enough, Hidan said precisely that, then left. As the door closed quietly, Kisame frowned at the blond, the fever so high that he shook. A few moments later as Kisame was wringing out the warmed towel to get it cool again, the door opened. Kisame didn't look, but knew who it was by the rather distinct chakra signature.

"Is he any better?" Kakuzu's deep voice asked, sounding like he didn't care. In all actuality, he didn't. He was just doing it for the money Hidan was paying him. "The fever should of gone down." He said, his expression difficult to read because of his oddly colored eyes and mask he regularly wore.

Kisame shook his head, putting the damp cloth on Deidara's forehead. "He's still just as hot. Hidan and I think that Sasori poisoned him." He let the towel droop over the blond's forehead, then turned to look at the Taki nin. "Can you cure him?" He asked, sounding uncharacteristically worried.

Kakuzu blinked, his expression still inscrutable. He gazed at Deidara, walking closer to examine him. He had been a medic shinobi, luckily. How else would he know enough to be able to use multiple hearts the way he does? He lifted Deidara's arm softly, then released it. It fell with no resistance to the white sheets. A hint of a frown was visible, even underneath the cloth he wore. He put two fingers on Deidara's neck to feel the pulse; it was beating far too fast, nearly a rabbit's pace, but also erratic and weak. He pulled his hand away as he exhaled, the black material moving in a small motion. "No."

Kisame's face fell, the small, burgeoning hope that was there shot to pieces. Deidara was going to...die? That damn puppet.... Kisame stood up, about to walk across the room to grab Samehada and go destroy Sasori, but Kakuzu's arm came up across Kisame's chest, stopping him. Kisame stared with a frown at the arm that blocked his path. "Wha-"

"I wasn't done speaking."

"Oh." Kisame hesitated, then sat back down in the chair, as worried as ever but now confused as well. "What then?" He asked, glancing to Deidara as the blond shifted restlessly in his sleep, then settled down.

Kakuzu watched Deidara's actions, then looked back to Kisame after bringing his arm back down to his side. "He'll heal on his own." Hidan didn't know it, but Kakuzu knew that the Jashinist's care for the blond went beyond friendship. But Kakuzu knew Hidan. This would speed up Hidan's slow thinking process and he would realize it soon, and probably try to take Deidara for himself from Sasori. Kakuzu thought that Hidan needed someone, if only so he wouldn't whine so God-damn much.

Kakuzu looked to Kisame, a slight look of interest sparking in his green eyes. "You know that Hidan wants Deidara." It was a statement of fact. Kisame nodded distractedly. "Let him get him from Sasori." He said with finality, and before Kisame could reply, he left.

Kisame stared, then just shook his head. Hidan would indeed be better for Deidara. After all, angry or not, he never beat a lover. It was one thing Kisame was confident in and Hidan's anger towards Sasori had convinced him. Hidan would be a good person for Deidara.

* * *

A few weeks later, Deidara was fine, cured, though still a little weak. He stood outside Sasori's door, looking nervous before summoning enough courage to knock. A minute later, the door creaked open, revealing the small puppeteer, shorter than even Deidara. He gazed up at the blond, seeing the nervous anxiety, then opened the door further, allowing Deidara inside. "Come in." He said simply.

Inside, the room was precise and neat, not a single thing out of place. There was no bed, since he had no need of sleep, but rather, it was filled with clear glass cabinets and tables. One table held the Hiruko puppet half dismantled, another table held Sasori's new experiment, some sort of poison. The shining blue color caught Deidara's eye as he entered, though not moving more than a foot inside, afraid of breaking something.

"Wh-what's that, Danna?" Deidara asked, voice unsure as he pointed to the new liquid. "Is it a new poison, un?"He blinked, his scope back on his eye. Leader-sama had gotten somebody to fix it, but he didn't know who, nor did he care. It was there and that was all that mattered.

Sasori's golden hues flickered to where Deidara pointed, then blinked once. "No. It's an experiment." He answered simply, turning from Deidara to the table and walking to it, hand running down a vial next to it full of silver powder.

Deidara flinched as if stung, eye immediately falling to the floor. "Right. My mistake, Danna, hmm. I'm sorry." His hands moved over each other, twisting from nerves. Sasori let his head spin a full hundred and eighty degrees to Deidara, looking disinterested. The move, while startling to anybody else, did not scare Deidara anymore. It had used to, but he had gotten used to it.

"Yes. Your mistake. You're lucky it's not mine." He said dryly, then turned back to the table. Deidara just nodded, afraid of saying the wrong thing. _He's right, un._ Deidara thought with a nervous laugh. _If it was his mistake –not that Danna makes mistakes– I would be dead if I touched it, I bet. Danna's so good with things like that. I'm so glad I don't do it, yeah._

"I bet it's hard, huh, Danna?" Deidara tried making small talk as Sasori added a little of the silver powder into the blue liquid after measuring it out precisely. "I'm so lucky you do it, yeah, like make medicines and stuff." He smiled weakly. "I'd mess it all up, I'm just not smart enough."

Sasori set down the vial delicately, then turned, body and all this time to meet Deidara's exposed eye, his gaze flat. "Is that all you're going to do?" He asked quietly. "Talk to me?" Deidara's face fell and he looked down. "You're a waste of time."

Deidara bit his lip to keep from crying. But his Danna was right, of course, Danna was always right. Deidara was useless. "I'm sorry, Danna, yeah. I'm trying to be bett–"

"You're failing." Sasori cut off the blond's apologies coldly, hands on the table behind himself and leaning on it with his lithe frame. He didn't wear the cloak, as it just got in the way when he was doing small processes, but did wear the pants and sash around his waist from habit.

Deidara nodded, hands fidgeting. "I know Danna... I'm so lucky I have you to make me better, hmm." He said softly, tears threatening. He had hoped that Sasori would like the gift he made for the puppet, but Sasori hadn't even given him a second to show him. Now might be a good time, it might appease Sasori. "I–I made you something, Danna."

He reached into his cloak, Sasori's emotionless eyes watching as Deidara fumbled for the creation. A moment later, Deidara's face lit up as he found it, then brought it out. It was a beautifully crafted mannequin that looked like Sasori, able to move with joints and all. "I hope you like it, un..." He held it out, being careful to keep his hand-mouths from licking it.

Sasori left the table, coming to Deidara and staring at the creation. He met Deidara's gaze with a curled lip. "It doesn't _explode_, does it?" He questioned. Such a waste of time, explosions. Sasori did not see how it was _art_. It wasn't, it just mocked art.

Deidara shook his head, blond hair tumbling around his features. "No, no. I made it specially for you, un, and I know you like things that last forever. This could last forever, hmm." He said with a burgeoning smile. Sasori hadn't called it pointless yet. Maybe he liked it, maybe he would put it with his other items where he put important things. That would really made Deidara feel better.

Sasori picked it up, the arms and legs of the clay Sasori moving freely. The craftsmanship was well done, Sasori had to admit. It was meticulous, even having the individual coils in his stomach and the mesh pattern on the outside of them. He blinked, then moved to set it on his table where he kept non poison items, such as personal papers and objects. Deidara's offering had been accepted.

Deidara smiled big; he had pleased his Danna! Maybe he wasn't that stupid after all, maybe it had been just a bad day. Sasori turned and held out his arms, an invitation to a hug. Deidara instantly moved carefully over, stepping over various objects to be held by his Danna. "Oh, Danna, I'm so glad you like it!" He exclaimed, holding Sasori.

Sasori held him in return, his embrace much looser and more obligatory. Deidara was just so easy to use. No matter what Sasori did, Deidara would run back. He always did and he always would. It was a game to Sasori. How long could the game go on? Eventually Deidara would break...but how long would it be? Until then, Sasori was content to play.

Sasori let his right hand come up to run his hand though Deidara's hair. Deidara made a soft sound of contentment, joy-filled. He must really of pleased Sasori to be loved so much. "Oh, Danna, you're so good to me."

Sasori smirked for a split second, a maliciously evil look on his wooden features for a moment, then it vanished as quickly as it came. "I am too good, sometimes. You'll learn eventually. I'll make you better and you will one day be as good as me."

Deidara sighed in happiness. "Danna, you're so nice. I hope that I can be that good one day." He said, turning his head on Sasori's shoulder to meet Sasori's gaze. "You're so patient with me..." Sasori merely continued to run his hand through Deidara's hair.

"Yes... I am, aren't I?" He murmured to himself.

Deidara released him, and smiled to the slightly shorter redhead. "I'll never ever leave you... you'll make me perfect one day, hmm."


End file.
